Updated Workshop Offerings by Lisa Pressman

Painting with Encaustic: Layers, Richness and Personal Vision

Encaustic, the oldest form of painting combines beeswax and damar resin with colored pigments. This workshop introduces and expands the use of the encaustic medium for participants. Pressman will guide students in basic and advanced techniques to creating works that are rich in layers and transparency. Color application, methods of fusing, image transfers, mark making, pigment sticks, pastels, graphite, collage and mono printing are just some of the topics that will be covered. Encaustic equipment, history and safety will be addressed. Along with technique, experimentation is encouraged and combined with attention to art fundamentals , editing and content. The emphasis is on freeing the creative spirit so that a personal language and vision can develop into a new series of work.  Activities will include exercises, informal group discussion and individual support.  Student work here.

Inside Matters, Solo Show, Rosenfeld Gallery 2013

I also offer Layered Media: Finding Your Mark with Cold Wax and Mixed Media
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This workshop focuses on using cold wax,pigment sticks,oil paint and other media to create layered expressive, richly surfaced paintings. There is a freedom of gesture, movement and process that occurs when painting with these materials. A variety of techniques, tools and exercises are used to explore personal imagery: abstract as well as representational. Experimentation is the focus along with attention to art fundamentals and editing and content. "Lisa‘s ability to work with individuals makes this a perfect workshop not only for beginners but for anyone looking to get feedback and problem-solve about their work." says Norma Hendrx, Director of Cullawhee Mountain Arts.  Activities will include exercises, informal group discussion and individual support. I encourage beginners as well as professionals to take this journey and see what happens!

Other workshops and services offered are contemporary drawing, mentoring, professional practices. You can find my work and resume here.  
Lpart@earthlink.net for pricing

If traveling from afar: A Marriot Courtyard is 8 minutes away with Jerry's Artist Outlet next door. NYC is 40 minutes away by train or bus. A variety of workshops are also available for art centers, colleges and art schools.

Photo: JMattera

Quote from Joanne Mattera: artist, author, blogger and director 7th of the International Encaustic Conference.
Encaustic: Art, Craft, Hobby
"In Post-Conference at Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, I visited Lisa Pressman’s Introduction to Pigment Sticks and Encaustic and was impressed by the ease with which she demonstrated and then introduced a series of one-minute exercises designed to get students actively involved in the possibilities of the medium. There was none of the chitchat that often accompanies workshops; students were fully engrossed. Returning at the end of the day, I was bowled over by what the group had achieved. In many instances, their results were finished works of art. One memorable work by Deborah Dryden was a triptych of 12 x 12” paintings in palette of aqua and ultramarine with bold cursive markings. Emotion of the Ocean,inspired by the environment and, of course, by Pressman, was so polished it would be included in Dryden’s upcoming solo.  Given a choice, who wouldn’t want to study with a teacher so able to elicit this kind of work?"

 NJ Workshop Schedule: 

March 23, Encaustic and Mixed Media: Geralyn's Art Studio, Maplewood

April 6, Mixed Media at Geralyn's Art Studio, Maplewood

May 4, Encaustic: Visual Arts Center of NJ, Summit

June 15, Pigment Stick and Encaustic: Geralyn's Art Studio, Maplewood

June 22, Experimenting with Pigment sticks: Visual Arts Center of NJ, Summit

July 20, Painting with Encaustic: Visual Arts Center of NJ, Summit

2014 WORKSHOP INTENSIVES:

April 12,13

Encaustic and Embellishment

Pacific NorthWest College of Art
Portland, Oregon
S/SU

This workshop  is focused on using encaustic medium which is beeswax and damar resin and combining it with mixed media. We will be using the medium with assorted color and mark making techniques to create layers with depth and translucency. Pigment sticks, pastels, graphite, inks ,collage and monoprinting will be covered along with creating a smooth surface, transparency, opacity and scraping, All of these techniques can be applied to representational work as well as abstract. Composition , editing and content will be addressed. Activities will include exercises, informal group discussion and individual support.Power points, discussions of contemporary art, professional and career support are all offered.

May 12, 13Advanced Encaustic: Layers, Richness and Personal VisionR&F Handmade PaintsKingston, NY
W/Th
This 2 day advanced encaustic workshop will take experienced students to the next level in technique and expression. Individual direction and development of a personal vision will be a goal of this class with an emphasis is on freeing the creative spirit. Lisa will use guided exercises to lead students through an intuitive creative process, developing a new body of work that is richly layered in content and concept. Activities will include exercises, informal group discussion and individual support. Exercises are grounded in abstraction; attention will be paid to the use of personal symbols and markings that could develop into a deeper visual dialogue.
The collective growth Lisa fosters in her workshops makes this a perfect environment for students looking to get feedback and problem-solve in a group dynamic. Color application, fusing, mark making, pigment sticks, pastels, graphite, are techniques that will be covered. Encaustic equipment, history and safety will be addressed.

May 19-24
Experimental Mixed Media Lab with Sara Mast
Cullowhee Mountain Arts
Lake Logan North Carolina
SU/M/T/W/Th/F/

Leave the details of life behind and give yourself a creative retreat. Surrounded by the majesty of unspoiled nature, you can have a week to refill your creative well. During your retreat you will enjoy a workshop led by two beloved artsist-instructors, Sara Mast and Lisa Pressman. They will guide you in the use of non-traditional approaches to drawing and painting while you receive inspiration from the beauty of the natural environment. Using mixed media and earth materials gathered on-site, participants will expand personal visual language and mark-making skills. Lisa and Sara have been known to create tremendous excitement and energy when they team up to deliver stimulating and guided exercises. Experience new ways of seeing while enjoying a fresh engagement with intuition, freedom, collaboration, and interaction with the natural world.  Uncover new notions of the expressive element of drawing and painting. Materials will include drawing media, water media, cold wax, and pigment sticks. Enjoy five days of process rather than production. What you take away will fuel you to go right back to your studio and get cranking. Be ready to have a great time on the creativity “playground!”  The Retreat-Workshop, lodging, dining, movement and mindfullness sessions, guided nature walk, bonfires, and other activites all take place at the pristine Lake Logan Retreat Center in Canton, NC, approximately 40 miles west of Asheville, NC.  During your stay you will also have opportunities to enjoy quiet outdoor spaces, wildlife walks, lake views, canoeing, and swimming.  Retreat Schedule - See more at: http://cmarts01.businesscatalyst.com/lake-logan-artist-writer-workshop-retreats/sara-mast-lisa-pressman-experimental-media-lab#sthash.MVEOEnt8.dpuf

June 29- July 4
Layered Media: Finding Your Voice
Cullowhee Mountain Arts
Cullowhee, North Carolina
SU/M/T/W/Th/F


This workshop focuses on using cold wax,pigment sticks, oil paint and other media to create layered expressive, richly surfaced paintings. There is a freedom of gesture, movement and process that occurs when painting with these materials. A variety of techniques, tools and exercises are used to explore personal imagery: abstract as well as representational. Experimentation is the focus along with attention to art fundamentals and editing and content. "Lisa‘s ability to work with individuals makes this a perfect workshop not only for beginners but for anyone looking to get feedback and problem-solve about their work." says Norma Hendrx, Director of Cullawhee Mountain Arts.  Individual attention is given to each student so the beginner as well as the professional will get the feedback needed to bring back to their studio. Power points, discussions of contemporary art, professional and career support are all offered.

July 27-31

Fuse Art in Motion with Sara Mast
Sara Mast Studio
Bozeman, Montana
Su/M/T/W/Th

FUSE is an integrative experience designed to expand your creativity through visual art and expressive movement in the pristine setting of the Rocky Mountain West in Bozeman, Montana. Work and play with artists Lisa Pressman and Sara Mast to discover and focus your artistic vision in drawing, encaustic and mixed media painting. Immersed in the natural beauty of the Gallatin Valley, participants will be able to incorporate earth materials from natural pigments to flowers as part of the creative process. We will offer daily movement sessions that engage the body and the mind, re-educating the body to move with fluidity, ease, relaxation and power. Come join us on this unique journey to release and empower your creative possibilities!For information and registration, contact:Sara Mast, Bozeman, MT @ sara.mast@wildblue.net or Lisa Pressman,lpart@earthlink.net

August 15-18
Layered Media: Expanding Your Vision
Aha School of Art
Telluride, Colorado 

This workshop will focus on using wax and other media to create layered, expressive, richly surfaced paintings. We will be experimenting with a wide range of materials including: R&F pigment sticks, oil paint, cold wax, graphite, ink, and pastels. There is a freedom of gesture, movement and process that occurs when painting with these materials.

A variety of techniques, tools and exercises are used to explore personal imagery – abstract as well as representational – and students will be encouraged to use alternatives to brushes for their mark making. Layering, excavating, edge, line, texture, mark making, color and the concept of “editing” will be addressed. Students will work in a series, while revisiting the painting process. Working on multiple panels helps to free the creative spirit so that a personal language and vision can develop into a new body of work.

Individual attention is given to each student so the beginner as well as the professional will get the feedback needed to bring back to their studio. Power points, discussions of contemporary art, professional and career support are all offered.

Lodging packages available! To register or for more information, contact Jessica Newens at  970.728.3886 or jess@ahhaa.org.

September 28- October 4th

Encaustic: Encaustic and Embellishment
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
Tennnesee
M/T/W/Th/F

This workshop introduces participants to using encaustic medium, which is beeswax and damar resin and combining it with mixed media. We will be using the medium with assorted color and mark making techniques, including pigment sticks, pastels, graphite, ink, and collage to create layers with depth and translucency. Encaustic equipment, history and safety will be covered along with a focus on fusing, incising, sgraffito, and translucency. Students are encouraged to take risks, let go of preconceived ideas, and most of all, to have fun exploring this versatile medium. Come and find out why so many contemporary artists are rediscovering encaustic 
painting.





October  10-12
Layered Media: Expanding Your Vision
Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill
Truro, Mass
F/S/SU







October 24 -26
Layered Media: Oil and Cold Wax
The Encaustic Center
Richardson, Texas
F/S/SU
10-4

This workshop will focus on using wax and other media to create layered, expressive, richly surfaced paintings. We will be experimenting with a wide range of materials including: R&F pigment sticks, oil paint, cold wax, graphite, ink, and pastels. There is a freedom of gesture, movement and process that occurs when painting with these materials.

A variety of techniques, tools and exercises are used to explore personal imagery – abstract as well as representational – and students will be encouraged to use alternatives to brushes for their mark making. The techniques of using of cold wax along with the other materials will be the focus. Layering, excavating, edge, line, texture, mark making, color and the concept of “editing” will be addressed.  Students will work in a series, while revisiting the painting process. Working on multiple panels helps to free the creative spirit so that a personal language and vision can develop into a new body of work.

Individual attention is given to each student so the beginner as well as the professional will get the feedback needed to bring back to their studio. Power points, discussions of contemporary art, professional and career support are all offered.


Dates to be announced
Exploring Your Visual Language with Pigment Sticks

R & F Handmade Paint

Kingston, New York

R&F Pigment Sticks are oil paint with just enough wax added for the paint to be molded into stick form.  They allow the artist to draw or paint onto a surface with freedom and directness. This workshop introduces you to pigment sticks and allows you to explore a wide variety of mark making, creating rich layered surfaces. Exercises are designed to help beginners and professionals alike free themselves from preconceived ideas of painting. Emphasis will be on using the techniques to heighten and enhance the artist's own visual language. Though the exercises  are grounded in abstraction, attention will  be paid to the use of personal symbols and markings that could interface with any imagery. An intuitive method is highlighted and participants will return to their studios with a fresh approach, new ideas, and a variety of ways in which to express their perspective.  We will cover: what are pigments sticks, health and safety,  supports, transparency, layering with cold wax, building a surface,  stenciling , mono-printing, transfers, mark making with mixed media, combining with oil paint and using a variety of tools to move paint. Focus will be on personal presence, art fundamentals, working in series,and offering a comprehensive selection of materials. 

Artist: Joanne Holtje,2014
I just got home from my first workshop with Lisa Pressman, and I can honestly say this was the most valuable workshop I have ever been to.
I spent three eight hour days at R&F Paints in Kingston, NY exploring and expanding my visual language with pigment sticks.  
The materials are the very finest made, but it was Pressman's unique gift for teaching that made the magic happen.
She was able to keep energy and spirits high.  There was plenty of fun and a sense of play, but make no mistake, we worked hard and dug deep thanks to Pressman's talent for asking the right questions, gentle coaching, and firm nudging.  She approaches each artist with sensitivity and compassion and met each of us wherever we were at in our artistic process.
No surprise that many of the other participants had studied with her before.  I will return for more, and you should, too!

Demos in progress

Quote from Norma Hendrix, Director of Cullowhee Mountain Arts: 
"Lisa teaches with such incredible energy and conviction that all her students are instantly engaged. By the second day of the workshop week they pulled me aside to tell me how grateful they are to work with a masterful artist and instructor, and in some cases acknowledge this has not been their past experience. Each student left with a complete sense of satisfaction with their experience and enthusiasm about their newly gained skills into their studio practices."

Quote from:Deborah Schuessler, Ph.D.

"The fact that I have taken Lisa Pressman’s Mixed Media Workshop two years in a row and am planning to take a third workshop with her this fall speaks for itself. Lisa is a great person and a wonderful teacher. I have thoroughly enjoyed the workshops I have taken with her and feel that as a result of her instruction, I have grown and evolved as an artist. In both of the workshops I have taken with Lisa, I have been impressed with her ability to help each participant find his/her own unique artistic voice. Lisa’s supportive approach has allowed me and other workshop members to take risks with our work without worrying about the outcome . . . often leading to surprising, fresh, and exciting results. Lisa is also extremely proficient with the materials she uses and provides excellent technical instruction in the use of pigment sticks, encaustics, and mixed media. Last, but not least, Lisa has a great sense of humor and ability to connect with others, contributing to the fun and congenial atmosphere in her workshops. I highly recommend her workshops to anyone wishing to develop personally and artistically."


Quote from Georgia McKenna, Visual Art Specialist, Boston Public Schools 
"Lisa is an outstanding teacher and accomplished artist. She's
committed to furthering her student's growth as artists and is so
generous with her time. Frequent daily critiques were targeted,
intuitive, perceptive and always helpful. I've never worked harder, or
progressed so quickly, in any class. I recommend Lisa Pressman's
classes without reservation, and hope to take another one soon!"Quote from Lynda Lyons, artist:
"Having the chance to take a workshop led by Lisa Pressman was an amazing experience. Lisa is a wonderfully talented and generous teacher. The creative exercises and her demonstrations were informative and challenging. It was incredible to be guided in such an inspirational way to push beyond my comfort zone and to take some creative risks. I feel that Lisa's workshop truly helped me discover my own visual language so that I can better express my artistic ideas and feelings. "

Quote from Krista Svalbonas, artist, professor, Art Institute of NY
"Lisa Pressman's workshops are an exploratory journey. She has the wonderful ability to craft information specific to an individuals needs and to support and foster growth in every individual. Lisa is a gifted and talented instructor. Every workshop I have taken with her has truly been a magical experience".

Quote from Susan Murati ,  Castle Hill Summer 2012   

"Lisa Pressman has the right combination of qualities:  desire for positive results, personality, knowledge, experience, artistic soul, good humor, authenticity, diplomacy, creativity, and clarity as an instructor.  She supports each student to move forward each day, several times a day, even.  She will take you aside gently if you are making "mud," but in so doing, she is moving you forward, and she gives you numerous solutions to get you out of there.  I totally enjoyed the class.  It helped me to find the energy and courage to create in a non-judgemental environment."  

 

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